Cubs (Taillon) vs Pirates (Ashcraft): 9/15/25, 5:40pm

[BKHoo]

Why didn’t he let Soroka close it out? He looked MUCH better in his second inning versus his first. 

[cubfansince77]

Stellar outing by Hodge....hopefully Keller can bring it home. Damnit...PH just couldn't throw strikes tonight.

.............and Keller is lights OUT to slam the door. Well done.

Edited September 16, 2025 by cubfansince77
left out a few facts

[BKHoo]

Keller - nice!!!!

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

What a dumb situation. 

[JHBulls]

Horton vs Skenes is going to be fun tomorrow. 

[UMFan83]

New high water mark!

Still struggling to break the 4 run ceiling but finding ways to win

[mk49]

Oh well, we won, but what's the point bringing in Hodge.  I don't get it.  He pitched well for a few games, except the last one, if I remember correctly.  Hodge struggled tonight, and it's not good for him and for the team.

[chibears55]

2 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Matt Boyd is a significantly better pitcher. His results have soured a little bit, and I’ve been more worried than most about him hitting the walls, but the need around here have assured me the underlying stuff all looks fine, which is enough for me. Limit his pitches the next couple weeks, give him an extra day or two, and then give him the ball for one of the three games. 

We'll see, they both have 2 starts left.

I think if all remains the same between the two in their final starts, Taillon could get the nod over Boyd to start game 3 in the first round best of 3.

Sometimes you just go with the hot arm over the one that been struggling a bit lately.   

I do hope Boyd ends the season on a high note though

 

 

[Geographyhater8888]

So much better having a healthy Taillon and Assad in the rotation over Ben Brown. 

[Gjfificifjdej]

Hodge is so bad its almost funny

[chibears55]

5 minutes ago, BKHoo said:

Why didn’t he let Soroka close it out? He looked MUCH better in his second inning versus his first. 

First game back after injury, probably has a pitch limit.

[chibears55]

W..

Magic number to clinch over Giants is 3

Magic number to clinch over Padres is 9

 

Remain 5 back of Brewers with 12 to play 

Just keep winning 

[Tryptamine]

 

Um, I had no idea he'd been called up only a couple months after he was drafted and that he's starting. That's pretty crazy.

[cubfansince77]

2 minutes ago, Gjfificifjdej said:

Hodge is so bad its almost funny

Ump won't give you ANY quarter if you're that wild. Can't call some close pitches 'getting squeezed' cuz he didn't earn it. Just a crappy outing. 

[abuck1220]

there are worse ways to learn hodge can’t be trusted in close games I guess 

[bukie]

Cubs magic number is 3 pending the Giants result.

They have clinched a better record than the Cardinals.

[Bertz]

I had no idea AZ had gotten so firmly back into the Wildcard mix.  That's awesome news, they're playing SF right now and play SD next week.  These games mattering makes it far more likely they play tough.

[Dmac]

45 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

 

Um, I had no idea he'd been called up only a couple months after he was drafted and that he's starting. That's pretty crazy.

He was drafted last year.  

[UMFan83]

Looking at the tiebreaker with SD, Cubs are 25-18 (.581) vs the Central and Padres are 29-20 (.590) vs West. 

Cubs have 9 games left against division foes (2 at PIT, 4 at CIN, 3 vs STL) and Padres just 3 left (at ARI)

But we’re getting down to a number of games left where if the Cubs collapse they aren’t gonna win the tiebreaker anyways, and if they get hot and win the tiebreaker they are finishing ahead of SD. 
 

 

[bukie]

1 hour ago, bukie said:

Cubs magic number is 3 pending the Giants result.

They have clinched a better record than the Cardinals.

Cubs have clinched a better record than the Rays.

Next up: Royals/Reds/Dbacks at 75 losses.

[itisallpartoftheplan]

So we can clinch tomorrow if we win and the Reds and Giants lose since the Cubs own the tiebreaker with the Dbacks.

If Dbacks hold on tonight..

Edit: not sure how it works if the Cubs-Mets-Dbacks 3 way tie.. so maybe not able to clinch.

Edited September 16, 2025 by itisallpartoftheplan

[Geographyhater8888]

3 hours ago, itisallpartoftheplan said:

So we can clinch tomorrow if we win and the Reds and Giants lose since the Cubs own the tiebreaker with the Dbacks.

If Dbacks hold on tonight..

Edit: not sure how it works if the Cubs-Mets-Dbacks 3 way tie.. so maybe not able to clinch.

It’d comedown to who has the best winning percentage vs the other two seeded teams. In this scenario the Cubs would win the tie breaker if they win 2/3 next week, since the Mets and Diamondbacks are both 3-3 head to head and the cubs are 4-3 vs the D Backs. Lose 2/3 and the Mets hold the 3 way tiebreaker.

Edited September 16, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[itisallpartoftheplan]

7 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

It’d comedown to who has the best winning percentage vs the other two seeded teams. In this scenario the Cubs would win the tie breaker if they win 2/3 next week, since the Mets and Diamondbacks are both 3-3 head to head and the cubs are 4-3 vs the D Backs. Lose 2/3 and the Mets hold the 3 way tiebreaker.

I’m talking about if the Cubs could clinch tomorrow.. so a possible 3 team tiebreaker would involve the Cubs being swept by the Mets(losing every game after tomorrow) .. but 2 of the 3 would be in.

[Geographyhater8888]

2 hours ago, itisallpartoftheplan said:

I’m talking about if the Cubs could clinch tomorrow.. so a possible 3 team tiebreaker would involve the Cubs being swept by the Mets(losing every game after tomorrow) .. but 2 of the 3 would be in.

I believe so. As long as the Cubs win and the Reds and Giants lose, obviously.

Cubs would clinch a higher seed than Az with a win or D Backs loss. I’m talking about in the event where there’s a 3 way tie and Az holds the head to head advantage over the Mets and the Mets have edge over the Cubs. It comes down to who has the highest combined winning% vs all 3 opponents. I misread your question.

Edited September 16, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[Geographyhater8888]

7 hours ago, bukie said:

Cubs have clinched a better record than the Rays.

Next up: Royals/Reds/Dbacks at 75 losses.

Giants too.